Customer Reviews

Verizon V500AM-2 Cordless Phone with Two Lines and Extension Handset (Silver)

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(7)

 

 

I bought the V500AM-2 from Amazon and an extra headset at another site. I already had a 2-line phone system (gigaset 8825), but was getting a lot of complaints about noise from WiFi and microwave. I tested the V500AM phone by making a call on one handset using line 2 to the other handset using line 1. Standing next to the microwave: no noise. This phone is so quiet that if the other person stops talking you think the phone has gone dead. I tested distance across the street and down the block. Great distance! When you go too far it gives a beeping warning in the handset. Who needs to go further than inside the neighbors house?

Update on phone distance: One reason it worked so well going across the street is that my base unit is on the second floor at the front of the house. Using the phone at ground level in the backyard I can go out of range if at the opposite corner of the house and more than 50 feet back. I had hoped to get my whole yard, and if I had my phone centrally located it would have worked. Still pretty good though, and the little beeping sound as you go out of range keeps you from losing the connection or even any clarity (just don't keep going away when you hear the beeping). The distance warning beeps are just loud enough to hear but not overwhelming to the conversation and the other party cannot hear it.

So here are the other pros and cons, comparing to my original gigaset 8825 system:

Pros:
The V500 handset fits very nicely in my pocket since it is flat or it can be clipped on.

The V500 has much better battery life, and has no interference in the signal.

You can choose which line to use for outgoing calls (could not do that with gigaset).

Speakerphone on base unit is really good, person on other end cannot tell you are on speakerphone unless you turn your head away.

Directory is central, adding an entry on any handset adds it to all handsets and the base automatically.

It lights up! In my office I turn the volume to 0 and I know it is ringing when it lights up. Great when on one line and the other line starts ringing.

"Quiet" button allows silencing of incoming calls that you intend to ignore.

Cons:
The V500 has actual handset naming, but the intercom feature only knows the other units by their intercom number (not name), whereas the gigaset let you centrally name the handsets for intercom purposes.

The base unit display and keys are impossible to read if placed any distance back on the desk because the back of the unit is not raised much. Not a big deal to me, I do not use the base much except to hit the flashing line button when a call comes in to talk using speakerphone.

Cannot (easily) return calls which come from outside your own area code. The phone does not understand prefixing numbers with a "1", so calls that are missed that come from another area code cannot be returned since is missing the leading "1". Adding these numbers to the directory requires editing the number to insert the 1. These problems stem from the product originally coming from Europe. I wish I could hope for a firmware update.

Notes:
I'd love to be able to buy another cradle, then the base unit's handset could be used remotely. This product is made by Siemens, marketed by Verizon. Although the user manual says you can go to[...] for more product info or help, you won't find any reference to this phone anywhere on the Verizon site (at this time). Calling the support number in the user manual will get you a Siemens support person located in Ireland.

Summary:
Overall I love this phone and will expand out to the full set of handsets possible. Once I have my directory loaded with my contacts, the "cons" become minor issues.

I have owned this product for about a month now and it continues to disappoint me.

Here's what I don't like:
1 - you can't return a call from the call log - 1+ before the area code is missing from the number
2 - you can name the handsets but you have to page them by number
3 - the range really isn't that good - I can get out of range in a NYC apt
4 - support is terrible - Verizon doesn't support it, Siemens doesn't - I called the support number they took my number "in case we got cut off" we got cut off and they never returned my call.
5 - if I want to put a call on hold and pick it up on another handset, it doesn't work - at least I think so - that's what my support call was for
6 - periodically, I have to remove the battery from a handset and have it re-find the base. That's very annoying when I go to pick up a call and the handset has "lost" the base.
7 - this may be petty, but I don't want "Verizon" in big letters on my phone.

On the plus side, when it works, it is very clear. I wish I had gotten a Panasonic instead.

Pros - Good functional product. No interference with other wireless devices in the house

Cons - no color display, better selection of ring tones

The Verizon (Siemens) V500 is working out well in our home-office situation (one base, three additional handsets.) The system is smart, and turns out to offer each feature we have realized we wish we'd thought of in advance - so that's good. Several "whew" moments. Listeners report excellent sound quality; all interference problems in the house disappeared. Range seems excellent. The only negative is that it's a bit challenging to learn to manage the handsets' many features smoothly. The Line 1/Line 2 buttons double as function buttons, and it takes effort to learn to use each accurately. Still working on that. Wondering now whether there's an adapter that connects to the DECT phone and makes it possible for me to use my new Blue Ant earpiece with the DECT phones. I bought the Blue Ant we thought we were headed toward a completely cellphone based system, and it's smarter than I am. An adapter between the two systems may be crazy thinking - but I'm researching.

I got the Base plus four handsets. One is on the base and the other three are scattered around the house. It was pretty easy to get it to operate although I couldn't get one handset to register. Just as a wild guess, I placed it on the base and suddenly it woke up. While I haven't had it for long, I do have some definate pros and cons.

Pros: It looks good. It seems to have a lot of features. The handsets operate on AAA rechargable batteries so when the batteries go replacing them will be easy.
Cons: The documentation is almost useless, there are icons on the display that are not explained and I can't figure out what they mean. The User's Manual describes setting up by going through menu selections that don't exist on the phones I have. The User's Manual says to go to WWW.VERIZON.COM for more information but there is none there. I could go on but take it from me, setting up this phone means you are on your own. I was trying to get my DSL modem on-line after a power outage and when I got anyway near it, there was a loud buzzing on the phone.

I am guessing that once I figure out all of the features and how to configure them, the phone will be OK but not having good documentation is a serious flaw.

For the most part I am quite satisfied with this product. Most of the features work fine and it is a good 2 line phone for the money. This is the second one I've owned. The first was accidentally damaged and the cost to repair was more than the cost of the new one. It was not under warrenty at the time. Previously we did have a problem while under warrenty and it was replaced free of charge and relatively quickly.

I like the phone but need to know how to get calls that have come into the answering machine off the phone remotely. Cannot find my manual and cannot find one on line either. Can anyone help me? Thanks

I would like to echo all of the negative reviews. This phone's sound quality is simply unacceptable, as is the inability to return a missed call without retyping the number.

This phone is easily the biggest piece of crap I have ever used. It is disgustingly cheap and definitely not up to the task of being used as a business phone.

You cannot hold a call and tranfer without making an internal call to the other line and then hanging up.

The sound is terrible, you really have to press your ear up against it to hear anything.... Did I mention how cheap it is? a two year old's toy phone is built with better quality and materials.

Honestly, this phone makes me dread answering calls because I think of how much this phone sucks to use..

Don't waste your money.

This phone looked good in the picture, and sounded good, but in real life it is just a toy. It looks like a toy and very cheap. However, even worse than that, it performs like a toy. When you press the keys to dial a number, you have to press keys 2-3 times for them to register. That is a real problem for people who want to dial quickly. Plus, the headset adapters were loose. I was told that people could not hear me, or they heard me fine and I could not hear them. If you press on the plug while talking, there is feedback. It also takes a long time for the phone to do things like: get a dial tone; pull up caller id; pull up the phone book. The biggest problem for me was the headset issue. The second biggest was the inability to dial numbers quickly. Other than that, the sound quality is great. It is also easy to set up. Mine is being returned.